Africa-Press – Lesotho. The United Nations (UN) commemorated its 75th anniversary since the UN Charter ratification on 24th October 1945. This year, the celebration was themed: “The
Future We Want, The UN We Need’’. UN Resident Coordinator Salvator Niyonzima said they have decided to start celebrating UN Day by a clean-up campaign and the plan is to carry the campaign
across the country. He said this day was established by two resolutions of the General Assembly. Niyonzima added that in doing this, Member States wanted to
enhance the purpose and the principles of the Charter of the UN, “today we celebrate to acknowledge the work of the organization and today it is the 75th
Anniversary of the UN,” he said. He noted that this is a legitimate time to be proud of their organization which works for peace, justice, equity and dignity.
He added that UN works for a better world and places “we the peoples” at the centre of what it does. He further said firstly as an organization, the UN needs to improve and that is the
essence of the reforms that are under way and at the same time, if the UN did not exist it would beg to be created. Niyonzima said according to UN Secretary
General, Dag Hammarskjold 1953-1961, UN was not created to take mankind to heaven but to save humanity from hell and as perfectible as it is, it remains
an award-winning organization. He said despite the frightening COVID-19 pandemic, they stayed and delivered health and development activities, they helped to
deliver education, humanitarian interventions and they delivered support to the country in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative Anurita Bains speaking at the
occasion said the clean-up campaign is the act of solidarity as it is a call from His Majesty King Letsie III and the Honourable Prime Minister (PM) Dr.
Moeketsi Majoro. “We needed to make sure that we are part of the initiative which is bringing people together and ensuring the beauty of this country,” she
said. She further said it is also a solidarity and commitment to the climate change response as this country is affected by an ongoing drought. Bains said
UN is a community in Lesotho and they work as a community. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in his remarks for UN Day said the 75th anniversary of the UN falls in the middle of the global pandemic.
He said their founding mission is more critical than ever which is to promote human dignity, to protect human rights, respect international law and save humanity from war.
He said when the pandemic hit, he called for a global ceasefire. “In our world today, we have one common enemy which is COVID-19,” He said. Guterres added
that now is the time for a stepped-up push for peace to achieve a global ceasefire and as the clock is ticking, they must also make peace with their planet because the climate emergency threatens life itself.
He said around the world, they must do more to end human suffering from poverty, inequality, hunger and hatred and fight discrimination on the basis of race, religion,
gender or any distinction. Besides the clean-up campaign by UN staff, the UN also celebrated this day by hosting a Model UN Debate by young people with the announcement of the UN75 essay
competition winners. The Model UN Debate was conducted by teams of Basotho students representing Member States in a special seating of the UN Economic and
Social Council (ECOSOC) under the Theme “The Future We Want, the UN We Need”. The Youth reflected on the past 75 years of the UN, considered the current
events and reimagined the future of the UN and international cooperation to tackle today’s global challenges and create a more sustainable future for all.
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